Fluid feeding apparatus



March 31, 1953 Filed June 14'. 1950 A. E. MGFARLAND 2,633,082

FLUID FEEDING APPARATUS 2 SHEETS-SHEET l IN VEN TOR.

drzhur 1'7. McFarlan HTTORN E Y March 31, 1953 A. E. MOFARLAND 2,633,032

FLUID FEEDING APPARATUS Filed June 14. 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 31, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FLUID FEEDING APPARATUS Arthur McFarland, Houston, Tex.

Application June 14, 1950, Serial No. 168,030-

4. Claims. (01. 103-37) This invention relates to fluid feeding appara tus, and more particularly to mechanism for de-' livering a treating fluid incontrolled quantityto a desired point of use.

The invention is capable of broad application wherever the: delivery of fluids is desirable, and is especially adaptable for use in the. continuous feeding of treating fluid in accurately regulated quantities to a. flowing liquid to be treated, such as oil or water.

An important object: of the invention is to: provide fluid feeding apparatus. which is. capable of use with fluids of widely varying viscosity and which is readily adjustable to accurately regulate the quantity of fluid delivered overa given period of time.v

Another object of the invention is the provision of fluidfeeding apparatus having fluid pumping mechanism operable. by a reciprocating part having a constant length. of movement, and

including means for varying the amount of fluid displaced.

A further object of the invention is to provide fluid feeding: apparatus having fluid, pumping mechanism, which includes a reciprocating memher having a passageway therethrough, through. which fluid is admitted to; the pump cylinder and valve means cooperable with the reciprocating member. to open and close the.- passageway, the valve means being: adjustable to limit the open. ing and closing or the passageway.

The invention. also contemplates the provision of means for varying the capacity: of the pump cylinder in. a fluid feeding apparatus of the type referred. to.

Another object of the invention is to provide fluid feeding apparatus having a.- motor of: novel construction for. driving the same,- and by which a. member of fluid. feeding pumps of such apparatus may be simultaneously operated.

- A; further object, of the invention is. to provide fluid feeding apparatus which includes a fluid. operated motor having; a novel system of. lubrication, and which is of simple construction capable; of being easily dismantled tor: purposes oi maintenance and repair.

' A still further object of the invention is; the provision of fluid feeding apparatus of: simpledesign andv rugged construction, having few operating: parts, and. capable of long continued operation under the extreme conditions of hard usage. and exposure. to. which such equipment is likely to be subjected.

The; invention will best be. understood from the, following detailed description of a preferred plunger l4 operates.

embodiment of the. same, when taken in conjunction with the. annexed drawings, wherein:

Figure. l is a top plan view showing the fluid pumping mechanism of the invention and illustrating the manner in which it is associated with the motive means and source of fluid supply;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical, central cross-sectional view of the motor of the fluid feeding apparatus, showing how the pump mechanism is attached to and operated thereby;

Figure 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along line i -4 of. Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Referring now tothe drawings in greater tietail, the invention is shown on Figures 1 and 2 applied to a reciprocating piston type of fluid operated pump or motor indicated generally at 2 which motor includes a cylinder 4, wherein a piston 6 is adapted to reciprocate The motor also has a cylinder head 8 to which the chemical feeding mechanism of the: invention may conveniently be attached. v

The chemical. feeding or injector mechanism comprises a generally cylindrical casing l0, supported on the cylinder head 8, which. casing may include a pump cylinder l2 wherein a pump The casing I0 is. fitted at its inner end upon a support member I6 having a threaded projection t8, which extends through a central opening in. the cylinder head. 8 and is secured thereto by a nut 20. A connecting :rod 22 attached in any suitable manner, to the piston 6 and moveable therewith passes through a central opening in. the support member l6, and is surrounded by suitable packing 24 disposed in a stuffing' box 25. therein in which the packing is compressed by a gland 28.

The pump plunger l 4: is attached to the outer end of the connecting rod 22, as by threading, and passes through a plug 30 located in the, casing, and having suitable packing 32 disposed in a stuffing box 3.4 in the plug which is provided with a gland 36. The pumpcylinder l2 has a reduced end portion 44' which fits into the outer end of' the casing l0, and the plunger l4 passes into the pump cylinder through packing 30 locatedin a stuffing box 411 and compressed therein by a gland. 42. A suitable opening, such as that indicated at 43 may be provided in the casin l0 through which the glands 28 and 36 may conveniently be adjusted.

The support member Hi, plug 30. and portion 44 of the pump cylinder may all be secured to the casing in any convenient manner, such as by press fitting these parts into the casing, in which case packing elements 46 may be provided to assure a fluid tight seal between the parts. The parts may, of course, be secured in the casing in any other suitable manner.

There is a chamber 48 in the pump cylinder which opens into an enlarged bore 5!] at the outer end of the cylinder, and the chamber 48 is threaded interiorly for the reception of an exteriorly threaded hollow liner 52, which is adjustable in the chamber. An enlarged portion 5-4 on the liner moves in the enlarged bore 50 and carries the packing 56 thereon to form a fluid tight seal between the liner and the cylinder. At its outer end the liner is provided with a head 58 by which the liner may be adjusted in the cylinder.

The liner has a hollow cylindrical bore 60 therein, within which a pointed valve body 62 is moveably disposed. A fluid passageway 64 is provided in the pump plunger l4, which passageway opens outwardly at one end through the side of the plunger mediate the ends thereof, and at the other end communicates with a tapered seat 6'6 formed on the free end of the plunger. The plunger extends through the inner end of the liner 52 through an opening 53 which is of substantially greater diameter than hte diameter of the plunger, so that fluid may flow freely into and out of the bore Bl; about the plunger.

The valve 62 is urged into engagement with the seat 66 on the plunger by a coil spring 68, and the valve is of substantially smaller diameter than the cylindrical bore 60 of the hollow liner so that fluid may flow freely past the valve as the same reciprocates in the liner.

The plug. 30 and the inner portion 44 of the pump cylinder are spaced apart within the casing ID to form a fluid freed chamber 10 therein, which is'in communication by way of a feed pipe (2 with a source of supply, such as the storage tank indicated at 13. A suitable hand valve 14 may be inserted in the feed pipe 12 to control the flow of fluid from the supply source, and a sight gauge 16 may also be provided for visual observation of the flow of the fluid.

The feed chamber 10 communicates with the pump chamber 48, by a pipe 18, in which a check valve 80 is located to prevent back flow of fluid from the chamber 48 to the feed chamber 10. A discharge pipe 82 also opens into the pump chamber 48 and is provided with a check valve 84 which prevents back flow of fluid from the discharge pipe into the pump chamber. a

In making use of the invention, the discharge pipe 82 is connected to any desired location where fluid is to be fed and the hand valve i4 is opened to allow fluid from the supply tank 13 to pass through the supply line 12 into the feed chamber 10. The pump plunger [4 is then reciprocated by operation of the motor M.

In the condition of the mechanism illustrated in Figure 2, the pump plunger is at the end of its pumping stroke and the passageway 64 is closed by the valve 62. When the plunger moves to the left, toward the motor, the valve 62 follows the plunger under the influence of the spring 68, and keeps the passageway closed until the valve engages the end of the liner 52. Further movement of the plunger to the left, after the valve has been stopped by engagement with the end of the liner, opens the passageway 64 and establishes communication therethrough between the feed cham- 4 ber 10 and the pump chamber 48, whereupon fluid enters the pump chamber to replace the fluid previously discharged therefrom.

The pump plunger is then again moved to the right and upon engagement of the seat 66 with the valve 62, the passageway 64 is closed off. Further movement of the plunger to the right then results in opening the valve 84 to discharge a portion of the fluid from the pump chamber.

By screwing the liner 52 into or out of the cylinder the size of the chamber 48 and the point of opening of the passageway 64 can be adjusted very accurately to control the exact amount of fluid which is discharged at each pumping stroke of the plunger,

When large amounts of fluid are to be delivered to the desired point, the size of the chamber 48 may be increased by screwing the liner 52 further out of the cylinder and in this case the valve in the pipe 18. will be inserted upon an intake stroke of the pump plunger to permit a larger amount of fluid to pass from the feed chamber TI] to the pump chamber 48.

Due to the fact that the valve 62 is of substantially smaller diameter than the cylindrical bore 60 of the liner 52 fluid may flow freely past the valve as it reciprocates and the liner will therefore be entirely filled with fluid during the operation of the apparatus. Afterthe valve has engaged the seat 66 of the plunger l4, further movement of the plunger into the pump cylinder will cause displacement of the fluid from the pump chamber 48. Movement of the plunger out of the cylinder with the valve seated thereon results in increasing the volume in the cylinder, so that when the valve is unseated by engagement with the end of the liner fluid is quickly drawn into the pump chamber from the feed chamber 10 through the passageway 64 of the plunger.

It will be noted that the passageway 64 is in open communication with the feed chamber 10 and the pump chamber 48 during movement of the plunger into the pump cylinder, so that fluid may return from the pump chamber to the feed chamber until the valve 62 is seated and closes a plurality of cylinder 4,'in this case four in number, in which pistons 6 are-adapted to reciprocate. Each of the cylinders is closed by a cylinder head 8.

The cylinders 4 are connected in pairs by connecting rods which are formed with elongated slots 92 mediate their ends, for the reception of" roller bearings 94 positioned on the crank 96 of the crank shaft 98 which is rotatably supported in the ball bearing I00.

At its upper end the'crank shaft 98 extends" into a valve chamber I02, within a housing H14 secured to the top of the motor in any suitable manner. A passage H16 extends from the valve chamber I02 to each of the cylinders 4 for the admission of operating fluid to the, cylinders and the same passage [06 also serves to exhaust the" the top surface of the motor and has an inlet,

port I- I4 which registers: successively with the passages: I06 to admit fluid pressure from valve chamber above the valve to each of the cylinders in turn. The valve also has a. port us which is brought successively into registry with the passages I and Hi! from each of the cyl inders to permit. the flow' of fluid" from the cyliders into the crank. case of; the motor, whence it may pass out through a vertically disposed exhaust pipe I I-8,: opening at its. lower, end into the crank case or chamber II9, as seen in Figure 4.

A, pipe I20 leads from a source of fluid supply,

under the control of fluid pressure regulating means not shown, into the top of the valve chamber I'll-2;.

One ofthe pistons 6, as seen in Figure 3, is connected to a plunger I22" which extends outwardly through the cylinder head, and into the cylinder I24, of an oil pump I25, which is threadably secured to the cylinder head. Packing I28 of suitable character is disposed about the plunger I22 Where the same enters the oil pump.

The oil pump has oppositely disposed fittings I3!) and I32, respectively, attached thereto by which an oil intake pipe I35 and an oil outlet pipe I40 are respectively attached in communication with the cylinder I24. Check valves 1st and I36 are disposed in the fittings I30 and I32, respectively, whereby oil may flow in one direction through the pump but is prevented from flowing therethrough in the opposite direction. Oil inlet pipe I33 leads from the bottom of the crank case of the motor to the oil pump, and oil outlet pipe I4 leads from the oil pump to the valve chamber I132, so that when the motor is operating the oil is circulated from the crank case to the valve chamber, and thence back to the crank case,

It will be seen that the motor as described above may be operated by the application of pressure fluid through the pipe 520 to the valve chamber. The fluid will be admitted through port H4 to the passage I06 of each cylinder suecessively as the valve rotates, while at the same time the cylinder to which fluid was previously admitted is opened to exhaust the fluid through passage I86, valve port H6 and passage II leading into the crank case I I9, when the fluid passes out of the exhaust pipe II8.

As the motor is operated the oil pump plunger I22 is reciprocated and when the plunger moves into the oil pump cylinder I24 the valve I36 is unseated, while valve I34 remains seated, which results in forcing oil out through the outlet pipe I40, and into the valve chamber I02. From the valve chamber the oil leaks past the valve H2 and through exhaust passage IIE] into the crank case. Oil may also pass through passages I05 to each of the cylinders 4 where it serves to lu-' bricate the pistons 6, and leaks past the same into the crank case or chamber H9.

As the oil pump plunger moves out of the cylinder I2 i valve I34 is unseated while valve 136 remains closed, and oil is drawn in through inlet pipe I38 from the crank case II9 into the cylinder I24. Due to the pressure of the operating fluid in. the valve chamber.- I02'.1 and the flow" of; operating fluid through; the intake port I I4; and passages Illfij, as; well as. the.- flow' of fluid. out. through the exhaust: passage.- IIO', into the crank case, the oil. pumped into. the. valve chains ber is forcibly circulated through the. working parts of the. motor to thoroughly lubricate the. same, thus increasing the life of the motor and improving the ease and smoothness of its: operation.

The connecting; rod 22, of the fluid feeding. pump mechanism is attached to one of the pistons 4 for reciprocation therewith in the man-- ner previously described", and it will be apparentthat a similar pumping mechanism can be ap-- plied to three of the pistons of the motor if desired, while the fourth piston operates: the oil pump.

From the above description of the construc-. tion and operation of the invention it 'will beseen that the same provides a simple and easily manufactured fluid feeding apparatus, which isreadily adaptable for use with awidevariety-of treating fluids, whereby such fluids may be continuously delivered inany desired quantity to a point of use.

While the invention has been disclosed in connection with a specific embodiment thereof, it will be understood that the same is by way of example only, and many changes in the construction and arrangement of the various parts can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus clearly shown and described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In fluid dispensing apparatus, a fluid pump comprising a casing having a fluid feeding chamber connected to a source of fluid supply, said casing having a fluid pumping chamber, a plunger reciprocable in said chambers, said plunger having a passageway therein with an opening at one end in communication with said feeding chamher and a valve seat at the other end of said passageway in said pumping chamber, a valve in said pumping chamber engageable with said valve seat to close said passageway, yieldable means in said pumping chamber urging said valve in closing direction, and means in said pumping chamber engageable by said valve upon movement of said plunger outwardly of said pumping chamber to unseat said valve.

2. In fluid dispensing apparatus, a fluid pump comprising a casing having a fluid pumping chamber, said chamber having a discharge outlet, valve means in said outlet, a plunger moveable inwardly and outwardly of said chamber, said plunger having a passageway therein with an opening in communication with a source of fluid supply outside said chamber and a valve seat in said passageway within said chamber, a valve moveable in said chamber and engageable with said valve seat upon movement of said plunger inwardly of said chamber to close said passageway, yieldable means in said chamber urging said valve in closing direction, and means in said chamber for varying the amount of fluid discharged by the pump including stop means engageable by said valve to limit closing movement of said valve and means for adjusting the position of said stop means in said chamber.

3. In fluid dispensing apparatus, a fluid pump comprising a casing having a fluid pumping chamber, said chamber having a discharge outlet, valve means controlling the flow of fluid through said outlet, 2. plunger moveable inwardly and outwardly in said chamber, said plunger having a passageway therein with an opening in communication with a source of fluid supply outside said chamber, and a, valve seat in said passageway within said chamber, a sleeve adjustably supported in said chamber, said plunger extending into said sleeve, a valve moveable in said sleeve and engageable with said valve seat upon movement of said plunger inwardly of said chamber to close said passageway, yieldable means in said sleeve urging said valve in closing direction, said valve being engageable with said sleeve to limit movement of the valve in closing direction upon movement of said plunger outwardly of said chamber, to open said passageway.

4. In fluid dispensing apparatus, a fluid pump comprising a casing having a fluid pumping chamber, said chamber having a discharge outlet, valve means controlling the flow of fluid through said outlet, a plunger moveable inwardly and outwardly in said chamber, said plunger having a, passageway therein with an opening at one end thereof in communication with a source of fluid supply and a valve seat at the other end of Number REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 376,960 LaPoint Jan. 24, 1888 775,605 Langlais Nov. 22, 1904 837,931 Hellstrom Dec. 4, 1906 1,669,130 Jensen May 8, 1928 2,387,234 Clapp Oct. 23, 1945 2,545,774 Griswold Mar. 20, 1951 

